SUSTAINABILITY: IT'S A LIFESTYLE

April 22, 2020

One of the greatest threats to our beautiful planet is the belief that someone else will save it. It is our utmost responsibility to join forces in achieving one common goal- protecting our planet and our most beautiful destinations, like Belize. We invite you to visit us in Belize, while we urge you to travel responsibly. Travel can be part of the solution as travel brings us closer to some of our planet’s most beautiful, untouched wonders and enables us to experience authentic connections with cultures around the world.

We have made it a mission to love, protect and transform Belize into a destination that will thrive in its beauty for years to come. We can achieve our mission if we intentionally reduce our impact on our local environment. Here at Itz’ana, we have made it a personal commitment to live and operate our resort in a sustainable way. We believe that practicing sustainability creates a profound love for our plants and animals, our Cayes and mangroves, our rivers, and reefs. It’s a romantic relationship with our surroundings, and we are excited to share the steamy details with you.

Sustainability - What is it?

Though it’s quite difficult to agree on one global definition, sustainability can refer to many viewpoints in which we make an effort to protect our environment. It includes our people, their culture and the maintenance of their heritage, and the way they remember and honor their history. It is a lifestyle that preserves our natural wealth for generations. In recent years, our societal impact on our environment has caused concern for the future, and it is now our responsibility to reduce the impact on our resources. At Itz’ana, we have focused on developing our resort with the long-term vision of sustaining our people and our planet. We proudly continue to do so by implementing sustainability measures in energy, water, waste and materials consumption.

Sustainable Tourism and Belize

We aspire to deliver elevated luxury experiences while living with conscience mindfulness. We understand that sustainable travel begins with the personal desire of self-fulfillment. How can we enjoy vacations while leaving only footprints? Sustainable tourism has become a rapidly growing travel trend, and we are proud to be leaders in this niche. We seek to practice, to improve, to develop, and educate our team, our guests and our community in sustainable best-practices. Many travelers are now directing their interests to book a sustainable vacation as a tourist, with the hopes of leaving positive impacts on the environment, society, and the economy. It continues to be an industry that aims to reduce the impact while generating employment for locals. We are fortunate to be located in beautiful Placencia, Belize, a place that boasts an abundance of natural resources, flora and fauna. Belize is considered to be a giant in the world of sustainability, allocating a large percentage of landmass to the preservation of nature reserves and parks. Additionally, 50% of Belize’s energy comes from renewable resources. Tourism in Belize operates in a community-based approach, as well as focuses on the conservation of water and electricity, the protection of the reef and marine ecosystems, wilderness and wildlife habitats, species and artifacts, and most importantly, the culture of the people.

Sustainability at Itza’ana - Mission-Driven Luxury

We are proud to share with you some of the sustainable measures that we have adapted in our operations and development. One of our proudest features is our very own on-site organic garden, where we utilize all organic materials to plant, grow, and harvest our produce. At Itz’ana, we are grounded on the idea of fresh, local ingredients sourced from our garden and served at your table at our Limilia Restaurant.

We have developed our ethos around the main elements of sustainability:

Water: We try our absolute best to consume only the water that is needed and reusing the water that was consumed in a creative, innovative and sanitary way, such as in our garden. Both our resort and residential properties utilize advanced water-conserving mechanisms that call for only a fraction of the water that would be used otherwise. We also have a fully self-sufficient wastewater system, that cleans the water in a way suitable for irrigation or for releasing into the Placencia lagoon as freshwater. We also have cisterns on-site that capture refreshing rainwater. Our investment in sustainable technology protects our mangroves, marine wildlife, and coral reefs.

Energy: We continue to design and develop new ways of conserving and producing energy. We included roof-top photovoltaics in the design of our one-bedroom solar cottage. Further, the owners of larger villas will also have the option of adding solar energy production. We wanted to create an innovative and impactful way of living.

Waste: We have implemented measures in reducing the amount of trash on-site by buying local, and non-packaged goods whenever possible as well as implementing an effective recycling system. We have also installed composting technology to convert organic waste into soil, and re-use it in our garden.

Materials: We have decided to source our materials using a local-first approach and supporting local artisans. We really value our people and also source handcrafted decorations and furniture from local artisans, while ensuring that they also abide by the regulations governing our beautiful forests.

Community: We want to instill positive values within our team, and also in our communities. We have taken time in crafting community programs that center on health and wellness, protection of the environment and life education. We also value our social responsibility to Placencia, our hometown, by facilitating other community initiatives such as regular trash pickups, constructing sporting facilities, and providing financial support.

Carbon Neutrality: We are developing carbon offset credits from regional projects that will offset the carbon footprints associated with our energy usage that will be a sustainable option for our guests and homeowners.

Play Your Part

Travelling has the power to change the places you visit and the lives of the people that live there. With your help and future travel decisions, we can mitigate the impacts on our environment and communities, while creating a better form of luxury tourism. You can start this self-fulfilling journey by practicing sustainability in your home, in your daily life, and in your travel choices.

If you’re interested in traveling sustainably and protecting the places you love, book your vacation with us by contacting our Itz’ana team. It really takes all of us to make a difference.